MEDIA RELEASE

Big Island police have charged a 28 year-old Hilo man for an alleged robbery and kidnapping incident which occurred in the lower Waiakea Uka area in the early morning hours this past Saturday (October 22, 2005).

At 4:30 p.m. Wednesday (October 26, 2005), detectives assigned to the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section charged Keone Smith of Hilo with second degree robbery, first degree kidnapping, first degree criminal property damage, third degree assault and first degree hindering prosecution in connection with this incident. Smith is being held at the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $200,000 bail.

The victim of the robbery, reported that two males in a pickup truck rammed into his vehicle, beat him, took his female companion against her will and stole his vehicle. The female victim was located safely, away from her assailant the following day (October 27, 2005) with injuries from the incident, as was the case with the male victim, however, neither party required medical attention.

The hindering prosecution charge stems from the suspect’s alleged assistance of Kole Race-Joaquin, a current escapee from the Hawaii Community Correctional Center. Race-Joaquin, along with Shawn DeCosta and Franklin Enos climbed out of bathroom window of the Hilo facility on October 2, 2005. DeCosta and Enos have since been captured while Race-Joaquin remains at large and considered dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding the location of Race-Joaquin is asked to call Detective Juergen Canda of the Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2381 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311. Persons who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept strictly confidential.